


Cancelled Class and Secrets

by SpicyGoddess



Category: Marble Hornets
Genre: Other, its a mer au, merfolk, takes place during college so everythings cool, this was gonna be a wing fic but its may my dudes, written as friendship but hey yall can take it as shiping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-05-09 04:12:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14708861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpicyGoddess/pseuds/SpicyGoddess
Summary: “Are you fucking serious?”How exactly are you supposed to react when you find out your roommate is part fish?





	Cancelled Class and Secrets

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe I'm writing this in the year 2018 but whatever.

Brian sighed in relief as soon as Tim headed off to class. It was one of the few times of the week he got to be alone in the apartment, which meant it was one of the few times of the week he could shift without worry. He had about three hours to himself which was enough time to hang out for an hour or two and dry off before Tim got home.

He hummed happily as he went into their apartments bathroom and began filling the average sized tub with water. He shut the faucet off when it was too his liking and shed his clothes before climbing in. As the water soaked him, he felt his legs grow closer together until they became one as his skin shifted into scales. He had to readjust when his spines began to slip out of his back. The transformation looked painful, but it felt relieving more than anything. If anyone ever asked, Brian would have described it as a feeling similar to taking off a stuffy outfit.

The only thing that was uncomfortable was the limited space. He couldn't really fit all the way in the tub, his tail was too long, almost twice the length of his legs, and his fin, when fully unfolded, a meter across. He kept it in a compact shape, not wanting to knock anything over.

Despite all the discomforts of changing in the bathroom, it was the only safe place he had, unless he wanted to make the trip back home where his family had built a pool to use whenever they needed. College in not the middle of nowhere, unfortunately made shifting much more difficult. He could be seen by anyone at anytime if he did this anywhere outside his and Tim’s shared apartment; which was exactly what he wanted to not happen. This was a secret he had to keep from everyone, even his best friend and roommate.

Brian really did wish he could tell his friend about this. It got kind of lonely keeping such a big secret. More often than not he felt like no one truly knew him because of it. But he decided that was enough negative thinking. Instead of dwelling on it he got comfortable and drifted off into a half sleep. He'd wake before Tim got home, he always did.

 

That is except when Tim's class got cancelled.

Tim trudged home in annoyance. He had gotten up early this morning, and walked the two miles he and Brian lived from campus only to discover class was cancelled. He fumed to himself. They could of sent an email, it wasn't the god damn seventeen hundreds, and now part of his day had been wasted.Whatever at least he could go home now, maybe Brian had plans or something he could intrude on.

He got home, about an hour after he left and after shrugging off his stuff, headed to the bathroom. He noticed the door was closed, which was unusual, but figuring if it wasn't locked it was free game, he tested the door. It opened without resistance. Rather than being greeted by an empty bathroom he expected, he got an eye full of what should have been his naked friend- which wouldn't shock him nearly as much as the spines on his back that led down to a tail hanging half out of the tub. The thing was LONG, colored a golden orange that reminded Tim of the old goldfish in his therapists reception area. He followed the tail down to the end where a fin, that had been folded in seconds before he entered, expanded out across most of the width of their bathroom in Brian's suddenly awake panic. Tim noted the tips of the fin were a dark blue, similar to the tips on his spines.

Once Tim stopped staring at Brian's tail he glanced back up at his friends face that was desperately searching for a way out of the situation. He looked like he wanted to disappear or book it out of there, but with his tail that would be impossible.

Tim hated the look of fear on Brian's face, and deciding there was absolutely nothing he could say about the situation, he took a step towards his friend. It wasn't intended to be threatening, but of course that's how his approach was received.

The tail fins seemed to flare out further, while Brian's head sank partially below the water, eyes narrowed at Tim, almost as if he were going to spring out and attack.

Tim didn't doubt he would. He’d need to resolve this quickly. He stopped his advance, before speaking, “Are you fucking serious?” He had never really been the best at tact.

Despite Brian holding himself as if he were still about to rip Tim to shreds if he got any closer, a few bubbles snaked up to the water's surface, almost as if he were laughing.

“I mean, I get despite being roommates we still have secrets and stuff, but this? Really? How do you even, you know, survive?” He sounded both confused and exasperated, which Brian seemed to find entertaining. His head lifted from the water, and Tim even noted his fin relax slightly.

“I mean, you leave the house like twice a week for over an hour so…”

“I know but really? Don't you need water constantly or something? Isn't that how this-” his hands made a gesture at the entirety of his friend “-works?”

“Not really no.” He sounded like he was about to start laughing.

Tim made a confused noise “Then how…?”

Brian thought for a moment before attempting to explain. “I think in the traditional sense, like The Little Mermaid and all that, they dry out or something. Y’ know since the tail is a permanent thing unless removed by magic? Which I don't even know if that exists, but who knows anything's possible…” He started trailing off topic until Tim cut him off.

“What's your point?”

“Oh, yeah! So, in the traditional sense I think the tails permanent and if your out of the water you dry out kind of like a fish. I think, I’m not really sure if people like that exist. But anyway, I’m...a shifter I guess. It’s not a constant thing, so I don't need constant water.” He finished, this time staying much more on topic.

Tim took a second to think about that before asking his next question, “So, when you get out of water, they just...change?”

“Pretty much, yeah. It just takes a while, the tail and everything has to dry out then they just kind of...become legs.”

“It doesn't hurt or anything?”

“Nope! Just kind of feels funny. Itchy I guess.” Tim was relieved to see his friend was acting more like himself again. But now that he understood how everything worked they’d have to discuss something else now.

Tim started off awkwardly “Now that I know… are you just gonna stay here for awhile…?”

Brian shrugged “There’s not really a point in trying to hide it anymore so, why not?” He paused a second, “But now that you know, your not allowed to tell anyone, or else and all that stuff.” While Brian’s threat was the most half hearted thing Tim had ever heard in his entire life, the look in his friends eyes kept him from doubting it for even a second.

“It's not like I really have anyone to tell,” Tim couldn't help but find it funny, he really didn't have anyone he could tell. Unless you counted that Alex guy and the rest of the film crew, none of which he was close with. “So...your secrets safe with me.”

Brian frowned, and his tail flicked in annoyance at what he knew was a self deprecating comment. Other than that he let it slide...this time. They let silence stretch between them before Brian shifted a bit, folding his arms over the side of the tub and letting his head rest on them. “Hey Tim…?”

His friend made a questioning noise so Brian continued “Now that you know, you should hang out with me while I’m like this.”

Tim snorted “You just want another excuse to spend time with me.”

Brian smiled “Guilty as charged.”

Tim ended up spending five hours in there with Brian, before his roommate decided to dry off.

**Author's Note:**

> Wow what a half hearted ending  
> Come yell at me I dare you


End file.
